Rivetz Leverages Intel, ARM Tech to Deliver Malware Protection

Rivetz Corp. has been named as one of the AlwaysOn Global 100 Companies to Watch, congratulations! Please tell us, what is Rivetz all about and what do you do?

Steven Sprague: Rivetz is leveraging the trusted execution technologies in new devices powered by Intel and ARM to protect the Crypto Currency Private Keys and Transaction from Malware. We are building security services for all of the wallet providers to protect the user's secret key, securely display the transaction amounts and trusted Input to assure the users Pin number cannot be stolen. Rivetz is also helping the user to leverage their collection of devices to work together help the user manage their access to the exciting world of Bitcoin providing convenience, backup and protection that comes from having more than one device.

Who is your target audience and how do you intend to reach them?

Sprague:We are building solutions for the users of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies. Providing the benefit of hardware protection of bitcoin on the devices they choose to use. We are using tools from Trustonic and Intel to provide the solutions.

I'd be curious to hear any general thoughts you have on market trends...

Sprague: Crypto Currency provides an incredible opportunity for the modernization of E-commerce. After 20 years of typing in Credit card number and CCV codes and worrying about fraud bitcoin and trusted execution provide an opportunity to revolutionize how we shop online world wide. Bitcoin will provide global access to commerce and trusted execution provide the state of the art security we have been expecting for years.

Why are you targeting the Bitcoin market?

Sprague: Bitcoin is revolutionizing financial services. The potential to change how we all think about commerce on the Internet. In addition to currency, the block chain represents one of the most exciting evolutions of the internet in years. We are adding the ability for the internet to store a fact. This capability will affect every corner of the internet from Currency and E-commerce to Property, and licensing to Identity and Privacy. It is one of the most interesting technologies to come along in years.

What's the business model?

Sprague: We will offer user the opportunity to upgrade the android phone or Intel pc and tablets to leverage the security in their device to protect their bitcoin wallet. There will be a small fee charged to enable these features and will be available as an in Wallet upgrade. We will also offer the user the opportunity to manage their collection of devices for a small annual fee. Finally we see the opportunity to bind other services the user wishes to register with their collection of devices and believe we can help to retail these service relationships to the customer.

Who are your competitors? What is your differentiator?

Sprague: We compete with two core groups. The first is the protection of your bitcoin through complex process the user is trained to follow. The second is a collection of external hardware devices that provide similar service to Rivetz but are external to your phone or PC. We believe the built-in solution is the customer's preference.

What other market segments will benefit from your technology?

Sprague: Rivetz is focused on building security support for more than just Bitcoin. Services like access to global WIFI or secure messaging that would benefit from the storage and protection of access and encryption keys on my collection of devices can provide tremendous benefit. We look to provide the user with access to a selection of services that will benefit from a higher quality user relationship.

Will mobile device security become a major issue in the future?

Sprague: It is today. The recent compromise in Europe of the device as a second factor is a great example. I would just add that we see no distinction on the size or shape of your device. All devices should be able to provide their user/ Owner with access to the services they desire without having to bother the user to remember complex passwords in their head. By registering ‘My devices' with ‘My services' we can help the user have a simpler and safer relationship with the world.

What other business or technology could yours disrupt?

Sprague: The combination of the blockchain as a registration authority and the trusted execution environment as the secure device representation can offer a new style of service relationship for all cloud services. Trusted display for secure private communications, secure input to assure integrity of user provided data and protection from cloning of user secret keys will have a significant impact on the value of a subscriber.

Who founded the company, when? What can you tell me about the story of the company's founding?

Sprague: My brother and I founded Rivetz in March. After years as the CEO of Wave Systems Corp. an enterprise security software company, I saw a huge opportunity to exercise trusted computing technologies in the consumer market. While exploring the foundations for a new business model and plan I was introduce to Bitcoin in January. The light bulb went off to build a company to Integrate the modern market of Crypto currencies and Bitcoin with the client protections that can be enabled by trusted execution technologies and Rivetz was born.

What is your distribution model? Where to buy your product?

Sprague: We will offer the solution directly for users to download and install. We will also partner with the wallet and device providers to offer the solution for the end user to have a great out of the box experience.

What's next on your product roadmap?

Sprague: We have the tools to build the solution in house and hope to show demonstrations of the capabilities by the end of the summer with an SDK for third parties to leverage the Rivetz tools in the fall.

Are you targeting a first VC round? If yes when and what will you use the funds for? How much money is being sought?

Sprague: We are actively closing our seed round to fund the Demonstration and SDK and set the stage for a series A. We will use our seed round funds to build out the team and show the capabilities, wallet partners and OEM partners to take the solution to market at Scale. We are actively raising up to 1.5 million in our seed round.

What else would you like to add?

Sprague: ever since the first E-commerce transaction we have been waiting for a safer and easier model to shop and do financial services online. We are watching the decay of those systems and the level of fraud is growing daily. Rivetz and bitcoin provide a fresh approach to solving the global challenge and bringing a new age of device level commerce to the world from mobile payments in Africa to buying gold in America. Years and billions of dollars has been invested to build the foundations of this business but the exposure of the device security technology has been a challenge. Bitcoin offers the once in a career opportunity to enable tis transition.

Rivetz is building applications on both the Trustonic and Intel Platforms for trusted execution.

The company is at seed stage and is not started to generate revenues.

About Rivetz Rivetz Corp. is a new venture focused on improving consumers' relationships with financial and other online services. Rivetz provides a safer and easier-to-use model for all users to protect their digital assets and online transactions using hardware-based device identity and execution protection. The device plays a critical role in automating security and enabling the controls that users need to benefit from modern services. Rivetz leverages state-of-the-art cybersecurity tools to develop a modern model for users and their collection of devices to interact with services on the Internet. For more information, visit www.Rivetz.com.

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